


the love that discovered sin

by bilexualclarke



Series: lover, be good to me [1]
Category: Sanditon (TV 2019), Sanditon - Jane Austen
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Explicit Sexual Content, F/M, Post-Canon Fix-It, Wedding Night, this is the fic where sidlotte gets their happy ending
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-11-17
Updated: 2019-12-08
Packaged: 2021-02-10 03:50:04
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 4
Words: 21,303
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21465439
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/bilexualclarke/pseuds/bilexualclarke
Summary: “The unlike is joined together, and from differences results the most beautiful harmony.” - HeraclitusAn alternate ending of episode 8. Or, the one where Sidney and Charlotte get their happy ending, and in the process, try (and fail) to keep their hands off each other.
Relationships: Charlotte Heywood/Sidney Parker
Series: lover, be good to me [1]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1563166
Comments: 126
Kudos: 543





	1. Chapter 1

“Let me come with you,” Charlotte implores him as they stand in front of the carriage. “I can help, I know I can.”

Sidney clutches her hands tighter, tugs her in close to his frame so that he rests his forehead upon hers. “You must stay behind,” he says, though it sounds like the words pain him. “It would be improper to travel together, and I have no desire to risk any stain on your reputation.”

“We’ve done it before. The circumstances hardly change the event,” she argues. “And besides, since when you do care what is proper?”

Sidney can’t help but smile. “I care when it comes to you, my dear Charlotte. I have no problem tarnishing my own reputation, but I refuse to be responsible for any harm coming to yours.” He lets go of one hand in order to tilt her chin up, meeting her eyes. “Besides, I believe I will work my hardest, and most efficiently, when I know it is you I have to come back to. The second I step into this carriage I will be eagerly awaiting the moment I return.”

Charlotte flushes at the weight of his words. 

“And when you return, perhaps we will finally have a chance to finish our conversation? The one we were having at the ball?” she asks hopefully. 

_ God, he is so gone for this girl. _ Sidney cannot help himself and steals her lips in a quick, but not unpassionate, kiss. Charlotte responds eagerly, pouting when he pulls away all too soon. He aches to hold her, has every inclination to grab her around the waist and drag her back to Trafalgar house for a proper ravishing, but he maintains his decorum. They are in the center of town, after all, with plenty of wandering eyes watching them. 

“Yes,” Sidney promises, his voice thick with passion. “Yes, we shall, Charlotte.”

She nods, a small, satisfied smile settling on her full lips. “Good luck, Mr. Parker,” she says. “I’m sure you will be successful.”

Sidney leans down, their foreheads touching once more, taking a deep breath. She smells of crisp seawater and violets, like summer and freedom and unadulterated love. He memorizes the scent as best he can before forcing himself to let go of her and board the coach. Charlotte watches as it pulls away, waving until he is out of sight. Once she is sure he can no longer see her, she heaves a shaky breath and presses a hand to her chest.

He has to find a way to save his family. He  _ must _ . 

* * *

The following day, Charlotte receives a letter from Lady Susan Worcester. 

_ Dear Charlotte, _

_ When I sat down to start this letter yesterday, my intention was to thank you for being such lovely company during my stay in Sanditon. However, I was soon informed of the dreadful accident that occurred on the eve of the Midsummer Ball. I do hope that you and the rest of the lovely inhabitants of Sanditon are faring well despite such a tragedy. Please send my regards to the Parkers for their hospitality and send them my well wishes for the town’s recovery. _

_ On a hopefully happier note, I wonder if anything new has transpired between you and a certain Mr. Sidney Parker? I took great pleasure in seeing Mrs. Eliza Campion taking a stroll Lady Kilmer’s gardens yesterday morning, sans any male company. Something about that tells me that perhaps you have emerged victorious after all. _

_ Please write soon. I do love hearing from you.  _

_ Your friend, _

_ Susan _

Charlotte reads the letter over breakfast and sets it aside on her night table, intending to reply that evening. She had promised the children that she would take them down to the beach for their own sandcastle competition. The day is bright and warm, and she spends hours down on the shore with them as they construct some truly novel feats of nautical architecture. They had packed a light lunch as to not interrupt their play, and the four of them ate their sandwiches while trying to ward off the pesky gulls intent on making off with their food.

When they finally return to Trafalgar house, Charlotte and the children are both sunburnt and covered in sand. Charlotte wipes off the children as best she can before they traipse into the house and proceed to make a mess of things. Their nursemaid scurries behind them as they tear through the sitting room, and Charlotte watches with a laugh before carefully heading up to her room to get cleaned up. 

“...saw the way she was looking at him during the Regatta. I was surprised when Sidney told me she was returning to London alone.”

Charlotte pauses on the steps when she hears Tom’s voice from his study down below. At the mention of Sidney’s name, she strains to listen closer. 

“I’m not too surprised, dear. Ten years is a long time,” Mary is saying. “It is perhaps time that Sidney entrusted his heart with someone more worthy of his affections.”

“Yes, yes, perhaps you’re right…” Tom murmurs. “But then again, ten years  _ is _ a long time. I’m sure she has changed, as has Sidney. It would be most suitable for them to pair up again. What with his business savvy and her fortunate capital, the wonders they could do for this town--”

“Tom, I beg of you to have some shame!” Mary hisses. “It’s bad enough alone to think it, but to say it out loud, to even _ imply _ that you wish your brother to finance your dream at the expense of his happiness--”

Charlotte does not stick around to hear the rest, flying up the stairs with her hand pressed to her mouth. She is able to wait until she shuts the door before her sobs overtake her. She collapses onto her bed and covers her face with her hands as she cries.

Tom’s oblivion may know no bounds, but she cannot deny the sense of his statement. After letting down his investors time and time again, Charlotte is not sure that there is much Sidney can do for Sanditon. His smartest option would be to propose to Eliza and use her fortune to save the town. 

Charlotte eventually calms herself with a few deep breaths. When she has regained her composure, she wipes her eyes and moves to sit at her desk. She pulls out a fresh piece of parchment and begins her correspondence.

_ Dearest Susan, _

_ Thank you for your letter and for your well wishes. Though I hate to dwell on the unfortunate, there is no denying that the fire has had dreadful consequences for the town of Sanditon. One of the workers, Mr. Stringer, unfortunately perished in the blaze. He is survived by his son, Mr. James Stringer, an aspiring architect whom I believe is invaluable to the development of this town. However, I feel that his talents will never be put to good use here. Mr. Tom Parker was unable to spare the funds to insure the structure that burned down, and the damage has just about bankrupted him. I fear that Sanditon will not survive the next few weeks without a miracle from the Lord himself.  _

_ That is where a certain Mr. Sidney Parker comes in. After the Regatta, he had made the most intimate of confessions to me, and the next morning we shared a kiss along the cliff tops on our walk to town. Oh, Susan, I felt like my heart could burst! We had a moment to talk during the Midsummer ball, and as brazen as it is to assume such things, I was led to believe he was going to make me a proposal of marriage. How quickly our relationship has changed! Just a few weeks earlier, we could barely stand to be in the same room together, and now I find myself longing for even the slightest bit of his attention. _

_ However, our conversation was interrupted by a wayward guest, and while Mr. Parker was sorting out that matter, news of the fire broke out. Everything seemed to fall apart at once! We never got a chance to finish our conversation, and although I was able to share another intimate moment with Sidney before he left for London, I fear that my hopes will soon be crushed.  _

_ Sidney has journeyed to London in order to try to secure the funds necessary to cover his brother’s debt. His heart is so big, Susan. Too big, that I fear he might do something unthinkable in order to save his family. I may be a naive country girl, but I am far from unintelligent. I know of Mrs. Eliza Campion’s affections for him, as well as her considerable assets. I also know that Tom Parker’s name is not likely to curry any favor with investors or bankers after he has racked up such debts. £80, 000! I know it is not proper to discuss such financial matters so frankly, but I cannot help myself. I have such fondness for Tom and his family, but I cannot believe he could be so irresponsible has to let his debts rack up so high. I have nothing but faith in Sidney and his ability to help his family, but I fear that his pleas will fall on deaf ears and he will be obliged to engage himself to Mrs. Campion in order to secure the necessary funds for the town. _

_ I hope I am just being foolish and my anxiety is unwarranted. I do not wish to prepare myself for heartbreak, Susan, but I fear that I must. I can only hope I have not overestimated his feelings for me, but I know that his family is Sidney’s priority. He must do what he can to help them, and I cannot blame him for that. I suppose I must resign myself to my fate, whatever it shall be. _

_ Your sage advice would be much appreciated during this time.  _

_ Yours, _

_ Charlotte _

* * *

Sidney awakes on his sixth morning in London to a headache throbbing at his temples. He had barely managed to sleep a wink through his entire stay. His efforts to secure the finances for Sanditon have been proven fruitless, with nearly every banker either refusing to meet with him or practically laughing him out the door. He is irritable and disappointed and above all, he misses Charlotte dearly. 

Mrs. Campion had sent a letter to him on his second day in London, after she caught word of his arrival. In her letter, she expressed her interest in a  _ “mutually beneficial relationship” _ . Sidney had scoffed at her attempt a subtlety and thrown the letter into the waste bin. He had been sickened at the idea of sacrificing his happiness with Charlotte for money. He knows how agonizing such a feeling is, from none other than Eliza herself, and he is loathe to burden his lovely Charlotte with such misery. 

However, that was four days ago, when his hopes were still high and he still had prospects to consider. Now, Sidney dresses for the day with a knot in his stomach, knowing that he has exhausted all his options and has made no progress. He knows that he has two options: engage himself to Eliza and break Charlotte’s heart, or return to Sanditon empty handed and see his brother thrown into a debtor’s prison and his family destroyed. Sidney looks long in hard in the mirror, disgusted with himself. 

_ There has to be another way _ , he thinks miserably. But there is nothing he can think of, short of trying to gamble back his brother’s losses and risk ruining himself in the process. 

Just as he is about to leave for the day, to give one last shot and restoring his family’s honor and good fortune before selling himself to misery, there is a knock on his door. 

“Urgent letter for you, sir,” the courier says, handing him a small envelope. 

Sidney thanks him and takes it inside. It is penned in an unfamiliar hand, and as he curiously looks it over, he is shocked by its contents.

* * *

It has been one week since Sidney left for London, and no one has received word of his progress. Tom and Mary are failing to hide their growing worry, and Charlotte cannot bear to think of him without giving herself a stomach ache. On the morning of the seventh day without him, she busies herself with a walk along the shore, trying to keep her mind from wandering to unsavory topics. After walking for the better part of the morning and collecting a bountiful collection of shells, she heads back into town. As she walks through the square she overhears conversation of one of the workers.

“Saw the Parker brother came back from London this morning,” one man says as he lays a foundation of bricks. 

“Is that right? He bring our pay with him?” the other grunts. Charlotte slows her walk, trying not to be obvious as she listens in.

“I dunno about that, but he did have a beautiful lady in tow. I recognize her; she was the same one who came to the Regatta last week. Awfully pretty thing.”

Charlotte’s heart sinks and she nearly drops her knees in the middle of the street. Leaving her shells scattered on the ground, she turns and flees down a side street. She weaves around the outskirts of town until she finds herself alone along the cliff tops. Her eyes burn with tears and she furiously blinks them away, pressing a hand to her chest to keep her heart from shattering.

_ He’s done it. He’s engaged himself to Mrs. Campion. _

Heartbroken, Charlotte’s body shudders as she cries, her heart feeling like it’s being ripped right out of her chest. How could she have been so foolish as to think this would work out for her? To think that she could ever have a place in a society like this? She was right; she had overestimated Sidney’s feelings. She was foolish and naive, a hopeless romantic. Just because they had shared two kisses and some vulnerable conversation did not mean anything. Sidney was bound by his duty to his family, and she was not part of his family. Not now, and not ever.

After she has exhausted her tears, Charlotte squares her shoulders and prepares to return to Trafalgar house. She must not let Mrs. Campion see her weakness. She will greet the pair of them with stoicism and and composure, express her congratulations, and then she will leave for Wilingden. Where she belongs.

As she approaches the house, she attempts to tame her windswept curls and hopes the tear stains are not too obvious on her cheeks. When she enters the foyer, she is shocked to see the whole Parker family-- Arthur and Diana included-- strewn about the sitting room. They seem to be in the middle of a toast of sorts. But what shocks her more is the woman standing next to Sidney in the center of the room. For it is not Mrs. Campion, but Lady Susan. 

“Charlotte, my dear,” Susan says with a warm smile. “You’re just in time. The Parkers were just learning the good news.”

“The good news?” Charlotte asks, her voice small. Sidney is staring at her with an unreadable expression, his eyes burning fiercely. She tries to steel herself against the feelings that bubble up at the sight of him, but it is no use. She wishes that the room would melt away and she could fall into his arms. 

“Lady Worcester has been most generous,” Tom Parker says, his smile nearly splitting his face in two, “and has agreed to invest in Sanditon. Her contribution will relieve my debts and ensure the completion of the new terrace.”

“I have faith in Sanditon,” Susan says with a knowing grin. “This place is dear to Charlotte, and I do believe she is a woman of exceptional taste. If she believes in it, than so shall I. My investors and I are giving our full support to the project. I have grown awfully tired of Brighton, after all.”

Charlotte takes a moment to process this information.  _ Susan is relieving Tom’s debts. Sidney is here, and not with Mrs. Campion in London. Sidney is not engaged to Mrs. Campion. _

To everyone’s surprise, Charlotte covers her face with both hands and bursts into tears for the second time that day. But these are not tears of sorrow, but tears of relief.

Forgetting decorum, Sidney rushes to her side and wraps her in a tight embrace. Charlotte allows herself to curl into his chest, one of his arms wrapped around his waist and the other curled around the base of her neck.

“I’m so sorry,” Charlotte gasps into his chest. “I don’t know what came over me, I--”

“It’s alright, darling,” Sidney murmurs into her hair. He pays no mind to the curious eyes of his family, or the smirk Lady Susan is attempting to hide behind her glass. His warm hand smooths over her back in a soothing motion. “Hush, now, you’re alright.”

Charlotte takes a shaky breath and pulls back to wipe her eyes. Suddenly remembering himself, Sidney releases her and steps a few paces back, at least having the decency to look ashamed at his brazen display of physical affection. 

“I’m so sorry,” Charlotte says again. “I guess I was just so worried about everything...hearing this splendid resolution came as such a relief.”

Mary replaces Sidney at Charlotte’s side and wipes the tears from her cheeks. “No need to apologize, my sweet girl,” she says softly. 

“Ah, my dear, I believe Tom shed a tear or two as well when he found out,” Arthur says in jest. Charlotte laughs as Tom playfully rebukes his brother. 

“There are still a few terms that need to be discussed,” Susan says, breaking into their dull chatter. “I heard the news that Lady Denham is recovering from a terrible illness. Do you know if she is well enough to talk business?”

“Quite well enough,” Tom assures her. “In fact, this news might even help quicken her recovery.”

Mary rolls her eyes, but starts to herd everyone from the sitting room. “Ever the optimist, my husband,” she says loftily. “I think a special dinner is in order to celebrate this wonderful news. A roast, perhaps?”

“Sounds delightful, my love,” Tom says. “Please, accompany us to Sanditon house in my carriage, Lady Worcester.”

“Of course, Mr. Parker,” Susan agrees. She presses her hand to Charlotte’s cheek as she departs. “We shall talk again soon, my friend.”

“Yes,” Charlotte says, still a little breathless. “I do hope so.”

Sidney spares Charlotte a longing look as he follows his brother out the door.  _ Later _ , his eyes say. Charlotte hopes her eyes convey the same message, the same longing. 

She busies herself selecting the right outfit for dinner. They are dining at Trafalgar house, and so she is not in need of any exceptionally fashionable evening wear, but she wants to look special for Sidney. After much contemplation over her limited wardrobe, Charlotte decides on the white dress she wore for the Regatta. It is her favorite of all her dresses, and though it might be scandalous for her to admit, she liked the way that Sidney’s eyes roamed over her chest while they were in the boat together. She hopes the dress will have the same effect on him tonight. 

The roast is lovely. Sidney are Charlotte are seated next to each other, so close that their thighs touch beneath the table. Though they are both thoroughly entranced in conversation with others throughout the course of the meal, whenever their arms or hands accidentally touch, Charlotte can’t help but blush. Though his words are directed at other people, Sidney’s attentions never stray from her. He refills her wine twice from the decanter on the table, and teasingly caresses her arm when he bends down to pick up the napkin that fell from his lap. As revenge, Charlotte drops her fork, leaning down and allowing him a generous glance at her cleavage while she does so. When she straightens up in her seat, she is happy to see Sidney has a slight flush on his cheeks and his sharp jaw is clenched tight. 

“Miss Heywood, do you plan to stay in Sanditon after summer’s end?” Lady Denham asks from the head of the table. Lady Susan had to return to London after their brief meeting, but Tom had assured them that she had promised to return soon. Lady Denham had returned to Trafalgar house in her stead, claiming that she has never been known to turn down a proper roast dinner. She had taken warmly to the idea of Susan’s investment, though she is still not too keen on forgiving Tom for his transgressions that quickly.

“I’m not sure,” Charlotte answers truthfully, sneaking a glance at Sidney. He has put his fork down and is watching her, waiting for her response. “I love Sanditon, but I also miss my family. I imagine I shall return to them soon, if only for a visit. I am happy to stay in Sanditon for as long as the Parkers are generous enough to house me.”

“You are welcome to stay here as long as you like,” Mary insists, reaching across the table to squeeze her hand. “You are part of the family, Charlotte.”

“Thank you, Mary,” Charlotte says, blushing. Just a few hours ago she had thought the contrary. Though she hopes that one day soon her position as part of the family will be in name and not just pretense.

“And what about marriage?” Lady Denham continues. “I imagine your position has not changed. Still holding onto the silly notion of marrying for love instead of establishing a solid financial future?”

Sidney tenses, glaring at the old woman.

“If anything, my resolve has strengthened, Lady Denham,” Charlotte answers cooly. “If I am unable to enter a union based on mutual love and admiration and...compatibility,” she says, chancing another glance at Sidney, “then I am quite content to never marry at all. I would rather die a lonely old maid than have sacrificed my principles for money.”

Her words simultaneously warm Sidney’s heart and punch him in the gut. He had come too close to doing exactly what Charlotte despised, selling his heart to line his family’s pockets. The fact that he even entertained the notion sickens him.

“I see,” Lady Denham smirks. “Well, let’s hope this decision proves beneficial for you.”

“I cannot forsee Charlotte making a decision that does not prove beneficial for her,” Arthur chimes in, seated on her other side.“Charlotte has quite the sound mind.”

“Thank you, Arthur,” Charlotte says, patting his hand. They finish the rest of the dinner with amicable conversation. Afterwards, Tom insists on checking the day’s progress of the terrace, while Mary helps the children ready for bed. Arthur and Diana prepare to walk home but Lady Denham berates them into riding in her carriage and giving her some company for the journey home. 

“Would you like to join me for a nightcap?” Sidney asks Charlotte once it is just the two of them, standing awkwardly in the foyer after bidding everyone their goodbyes. She agrees and joins him in Tom’s study. Sidney grabs two glasses and a decanter, filling each one with a few splashes of amber liquid. He hands one to her and they clink their glasses together, warming themselves in front of the crackling fireplace.

Charlotte mimics his actions, tossing the drink back in one gulp. It burns her throat and she chokes and sputters, almost dropping the glass. Sidney laughs and takes it from her and places both their glasses on the mantle. He takes pity on her suffering and helps her onto the settee.

“Not too partial to brandy?” he teases.

“On the contrary,” Charlotte coughs. “I’m just not used to it, is all. Once I have regained my breath I would very much like to try again.”

“Of course you would,” Sidney says fondly. After she has calmed herself, he refills their glasses and gives one to her again. She takes another hearty sip without hesitation. This one goes down easier, and she finds the liquid to cause a sudden warmth to bloom in her chest.

“Much better,” she says, her voice a bit raspy. Sidney’s eyes darken and he rests his glass atop the mantle again and sits next to her on the settee. 

“Charlotte,” he starts. “I must ask, are you alright? Your tears earlier gave me quite a fright.”

“Oh, that was exceptionally embarrassing,” Charlotte says, ducking her head. “I’m more than alright. Just overly emotional.”

“If that is all…” Sidney grabs her hand suddenly. “I cannot help but fear that you had thought the worst of me. That you expected me to…”

“I didn’t expect you to,” Charlotte insists, knowing what he means to say. “But I would be untruthful if I said I did not consider the possibility.” She tries to say this as gently as she can, but Sidney’s eyes still squeeze shut in pain at her words.

“Please do not think badly of me,” she implores him. “I would understand if that had been your decision. I know you would do whatever was necessary to save your family. Your heart is too big to allow them to suffer.”

“I could never think badly of you,” Sidney says. “Not especially when your astuteness continues to amaze me. I am loathe to tell you that I  _ did _ consider succumbing to such an obligation, and I am sickened by thinking of what would have happened if I had gone through with it. But I was saved from making such a mistake, Charlotte. Saved by you.”

Charlotte furrows her brow, confused. “By me?”

“Lady Susan got in contact with me on my last day in London and expressed her interest in investing in the town, and I can guarantee that it is not because she holds any particular fondness for my brother… but for  _ you _ . It is you, Charlotte, that has truly saved this town. You and your uncanny and inescapable ability to charm everyone you meet.”

“That cannot be true. I…”

“You have been a blessing to this town, Charlotte. To this family. To  _ me _ .”

Charlotte can’t stop herself from reaching forward and cupping his cheek. His stubble scrapes against her soft palm as he leans into her touch. 

“You told me that you were your best self, your truest self, when you were with me,” she says tenderly. The intensity of his gaze nearly burns her; he is hanging on to her every word as she continues.

“I have never felt with anyone the way that I feel when I’m with you. You’ve made me angrier than I ever felt before, but happier than I have ever felt as well. In laughing with you I find incredible joy, and in fighting with you, I find an...indescribable passion. I think that perhaps I have not been truly alive until now, that I am my truest self when I am with you, as well.”

“Marry me,” Sidney breathes, pressing forward so their foreheads touch, their lips just a breath apart. “Please, Charlotte.”

“Yes,” she chokes out. “ _ Yes _ , Sidney, of course I will.”

He captures her lips in a searing kiss, one that rocks her to her core. Their kiss on the cliff tops had been soft and tender. A tentative exploration of each other for the first time. The kiss before his journey to London had been brief and chaste, stolen quickly and without privacy. This kiss is passionate, all-consuming. Charlotte cannot think of anything besides the feeling of his soft lips on hers, the scrape of his stubble under her palms, the feeling of his warm, strong hands gripping her waist. Sidney gently nips at her lower lip and she is caught off guard by the gasp it rips from her. She clutches him impossibly closer, ignoring her urge to breathe in favor of keeping them pressed together.

“In case my affections are unclear,” Sidney pants when they reluctantly part to catch their breath. “I am quite in love with you, Miss Heywood.”

“To my surprise, I find myself quite in love with you, as well, Mr. Parker,” Charlotte whispers. Sidney growls and hauls her onto his lap, his hands tight around her waist, so tight she wonders if she will find bruises in the shape of his hands when she wakes. The thought excites her. She wants to carry the proof of his love with her wherever she goes.

As she settles upon his lap, Charlotte is shocked to feel his hardness beneath her skirts. Unthinkingly, she presses down onto him, causing him to groan and grip her hips tighter. The friction elicits a delightful feeling in her core, and she wants to feel it again.

“Charlotte,” he warns. “Please, do not tempt me.”

“I am doing nothing of the sort,” she teases, moving her hips and pressing down on him once more. She wishes she could rid herself of her dress and underskirts, feel the full hardness of him without any restrictions. She had not been able to get the image of him in the water out of her head since she had seen him by the coves, every inch of him burned into her mind. In the interim since that day, her mind has run wild with indecent daydreams, fantasies about the way he would feel beneath her touch.

“I am afraid my self control is not as formidable as it once was,” Sidney says, reluctantly lifting her off his lap and settling her by his side. Charlotte pouts, her lips swollen and face flushed from their kisses. “I must bid you goodnight now before I do something rash and foolish.”

Charlotte sighs, adjusting her dress from where it has been hiked up over her thighs, her stockings exposed. “Perhaps I may have preferred you to be rash and foolish.”

“Alas, I am trying to be better.” Sidney stands and turns from her, tries to subtly adjust his trousers. “I am endeavoring to be deserving of the wonderful woman who has agreed to be my bride.”

“She certainly has her work cut out for her,” Charlotte says. Before she can lose her nerve, she tugs his arm so that he turns back around, arches forward onto her tiptoes and catches Sidney’s lips in a gentle kiss. Before he can fully reciprocate, she pulls away and backs away, towards the stairs. 

“Goodnight, Mr. Parker,” she says softly. 

“Goodnight, Miss Heywood,” he responds. “Sleep well.” His gaze follows her up the stairs, unable to take his eyes off her as she retires to bed.


	2. Chapter 2

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> i've been absolutely floored by the response to the first chapter. you guys are just lovely! I hope you enjoy this update :)

Charlotte wakes with an indescribable feeling of...wanting. 

It is a feeling of which she knows about but is not quite familiar with. Her lack of privacy in her home in Willingden had never allowed for much sensual exploration. Anything she knows about the potential for her own pleasure has been gleaned from the risque novels she hid from her mother and hushed conversations with other girls from her village. She had been curious about such desires of the flesh, but never been too bothered by her lack of knowledge, for she had no real experience to compare it to. To be quite frank, she had no idea what she was missing.

That is, until Sidney Parker. His kisses the night before had sent her to bed with a racing pulse and an intense longing for more. Her dreams had been filled with him, of seeing him down by the cove, of stripping off her own clothing and joining him in the water. Of feeling his lips on her neck, his hands sliding up her legs. When she woke, she found herself with a pounding heart and a slickness between her thighs. After splashing herself with some cool water to calm down, Charlotte tries to shake the thoughts from her mind and heads downstairs for breakfast.

“Charlotte! Charlotte! Can we race our sailboats again today?” Jenny says, running over as soon as Charlotte’s feet hit the landing. Henry comes running as well, Alicia close behind.

“Uncle Siddy said he’d come!” Henry says, clinging to her skirts.

Charlotte scoops Henry into her arms and brushes his hair from his face. “Well, I suppose us girls would love another chance to beat you silly Parker boys,” she teases. 

Henry makes a face while his sisters cheer, and Charlotte playfully bops his nose.

“Why don’t you three go get seated for breakfast,” Sidney says to the children, appearing from around the corner. He meets Charlotte’s gaze. “Admiral Heywood and I have something to discuss.”

Charlotte sets Henry back down next to his sisters and the three of them scurry off to the kitchen, most likely to steal some bacon before it’s set on the table. 

Once they are alone, Sidney crowds Charlotte in the small alcove behind the stairwell. They are not exactly hidden, but will be able to hear anyone approaching and give themselves enough time to step apart. 

“Good morning, Mr. Parker,” Charlotte whispers. His hands grip her waist and press their torsos together. Her hands are flat upon his chest. He has not yet donned his waistcoat, just in his shirtsleeves and black suspenders. Charlotte loops her thumbs under the fabric and tugs him closer. “I hope you slept well.”

“Sleep has evaded me of late,” Sidney confesses, running his nose along the length of her neck, making her shiver. “I fear that I will not be able to sleep soundly until I can sleep with you in my arms.”

“Oh, Sidney,” Charlotte gasps. His hands tighten on her waist. His Christian name still feels foreign on her tongue, improper despite their current situation. He bites at the skin of her neck, and his touch emboldens her. “I dreamt of you.”

Sidney pulls back, his eyes wild. “You dreamt of me?”

“Yes,” Charlotte says. “It was...a most pleasant dream.”

“I should hope so,” Sidney smirks. “Could I tempt you to tell me any more?”

Charlotte shakes her head. “It was improper of me to tell you at all.”

“You know I’ve never much cared for what is proper.”

“Yes, you are an absolute scoundrel.” 

Sidney kisses her then, and Charlotte decides that the feeling of his lips on hers might be her most favorite sensation. It rivals the feeling of the warm sun on her skin, or the comfort of sinking into a hot bath. They kiss in the alcove, with desperation and wandering hands, until they hear Tom and Mary heading down the stairs, and then they reluctantly break apart.

“Shall we tell them?” Sidney murmurs as they walk towards the breakfast room. “Or do you wish to tell your family first?”

“I shall write to my family straight away,” Charlotte says just before they enter the room. “But I would be most delighted to tell them now, if you don’t mind.”

“With your consent, Charlotte, I’d shout it from the rooftops,” Sidney says, offering her his arm. Charlotte takes it, and they turn the corner and approach the breakfast table. 

“Tom, Mary,” Sidney says as they enter. Mary eyes Charlotte’s hand on Sidney’s arm and covers her smile with her hand. “Miss Heywood and I would like to share our good news.”

“What is it, my dear brother?” Tom asks, not looking up as he starts buttering some toast for Henry. “What could possibly top the wondrous news of yesterday?”

“I find this news to be far more favourable,” Charlotte says. “At least, for me, if I do say so.”

“Well? Out with it!” Mary urges. Tom finally looks up, sees their joined arms, and furrows his brow. 

“Miss Heywood has agreed to marry me,” Sidney says with a broad smile. 

The children erupt with excitement, abandoning their breakfast and running back over to Charlotte with sticky fingers and big smiles. Tom stands and puts a hand to his mouth, regarding them for a moment before a wave of understanding washes over him. He crosses the table and claps Sidney on the back, pulling him in for a hug. Mary reigns in the children before hugging Charlotte herself, kissing both of her cheeks.

“I am most overjoyed for you,” Mary says, her own eyes shining with tears. “You have become my most treasured friend this summer, and now to hear that you shall become my sister!”

“It still doesn’t feel quite real to me,” Charlotte confesses. “I’m scared that this is all some elaborate dream.”

“I must say, I fear that I have been blind as a bat for this news to come as a shock to me!” Tom laughs, gathering Charlotte in a bit of an awkward hug as Mary moves to congratulate Sidney. “But I suppose, after recalling your dance at the masquerade ball, it is not entirely far-fetched.”

“Not far-fetched at all, brother,” Sidney insists. He takes Charlotte’s hand. “But rather, just right.” 

Later, after they have settled down and eaten, Sidney goes to call upon Georgiana. They plan to take a walk down to the shore so Sidney and Charlotte can tell her the good news together. In the interim, Charlotte writes to her family.

_ Dearest Mama and Papa, _

_ It is with no exaggeration that I reckon this to be the greatest summer of my life. I will be forever grateful for the Parkers for allowing me a place in their home and in their hearts. My apologies for the brevity of this letter; I will be returning to Willingden within the week and shall go into more detail then. Tom and Mary Parker will be accompanying me back home, as well as Tom’s younger brother, Mr. Sidney Parker. I am most excited for you to meet him, as he is an exceptional gentleman with whom I am not afraid to say that I am quite taken with.  _

_ Much love to all my siblings. I cannot wait to see you all! _

_ Love,  _

_ Charlotte _

* * *

They are no more than half an hour into the ride to Willingden and Charlotte can already tell that Sidney wishes they had traveled alone. Tom talks incessantly of the Sanditon repairs, and while Mary does her best to steer the conversation towards Sidney and Charlotte’s potential wedding plans-- not that there are any to speak of yet, without having spoken to her parents-- Tom always manages to turn it around to “the pavilion” this and “the terrace” that. Since receiving Lady Susan’s investment, all the workers have been paid their dues and construction has resumed at full speed. There is only one caveat to her generosity: Tom has been given no financial control.

That power lies with Sidney. While the vision of Sanditon remains very much Tom’s project, Sidney is to act as his executor, with full veto power over any and all developments within the town. It had not been exactly thrilling news to Tom, but he had taken it with more grace than to be expected. Sidney suspects that Tom thinks that if he can prove himself reliable, he can win back control. 

When Tom starts in on improvements that need to be made to the bathing machines, Charlotte nudges Sidney’s knee with hers. They are sitting close together, close enough that Charlotte’s nudge could go unnoticed. She keeps her gaze forward, giving Tom her attention, but through her periphery she can see Sidney glance down at her. When he does so, she slowly brings her right hand down to rest on the upholstered bench seat, palm facing upwards. Turning his focus back to Tom as well, Sidney waits a moment, then brings his left hand down to rest atop hers. She squeezes his hand as Tom blathers on. It’s not much, but it’s a small bit of solidarity that she can offer him at the moment. 

Charlotte notices his jitters beginning when she peers out of the window and announces that they are arriving in Willingden. Her family’s estate is on the east side of the village, and as the carriage slows down to navigate the winding roads, Sidney grows tense. His right knee starts to bounce and he keeps clenching and unclenching his jaw. Charlotte can hardly blame him; as excited as she is to see her family, her own nerves threaten to get the better of her. Her stomach is in knots and her palms are starting to get clammy.

When the carriage finally rolls to a stop, Sidney takes a deep breath before swinging open the door and jumping out. He offers his arm to Charlotte, helping her down, and she barely has time to smooth her dress and turn around before she is assaulted by her siblings. She opens her arms to them, sinking to her knees as the little ones hit her with a barrage of hugs and kisses.

“Do you ever want more children, dear?” Tom murmurs to Mary as they exit the coach, watching the reunion unfold in front of them. “Say, five or six more?”

“Heavens, no,” Mary says, swatting his arm. “I’m quite fond of the lot we got; I don’t think I could take it if we added one more.” She eyes Sidney, watching Charlotte with a look of pure adoration. “Besides, give it time. I’m sure there will be some more babies carrying the Parker name soon enough.”

“Mama, Papa, you remember Tom and Mary Parker,” Charlotte says, her arms full with her two youngest sisters. Her parents, hanging back behind the throng of children, greet them warmly. Charlotte awkwardly sets the two girls on their feet so she can stand beside Sidney. “And this is Tom’s brother, Mr. Sidney Parker.”

“Yes, we’ve heard about him,” Alison says with a smirk. 

Mrs. Heywood shushes her. “It’s a pleasure to meet you, Mr. Parker.”

“I insist that the pleasure is mine.” Sidney takes Mrs. Heywood’s hand, bows, presses a kiss to her knuckles. “How do you do, Mrs. Heywood?”

“Aren’t you a charmer,” Mrs. Heywood says dryly, glancing at Charlotte. Sidney straightens up and offers hand to Mr. Heywood.

“Mr. Heywood. Well met, sir.”

“Well met, indeed,” Mr. Heywood says. “Come, everyone, it’s nearly time for lunch. And Mr. Sidney Parker, you may join me in my study.”

They begin the short walk back to the main house, Sidney and Mr. Heywood leading the way. Sidney throws Charlotte a reassuring look over his shoulder as he follows her father. Charlotte presses a hand to her stomach, fighting the sudden nervous urge to vomit as she trails behind them. She tries to pay attention to the conversation between Mary and her mother, but her eyes keep wandering to her father and Sidney, who seem to have started a hushed conversation already. Tom has captured the children’s attention, regaling them with stories of Sanditon as they walk. Alison is the only one who picks up on Charlotte’s distraction, linking their arms together and ducking her head conspiringly. 

“Has he asked for your hand already?” Alison murmurs.

Charlotte nods imperceptibly. “He has.”

“Was is terribly romantic?” Alison presses. 

_ Marry me. Please, Charlotte.  _

“It was simple, but lovely nonetheless.” Mrs. Heywood starts to herd everyone inside for lunch, and the girls follow behind slowly. “He was open and vulnerable and made me feel quite special.”

“You never mentioned in any of your letters how much of a treat he is to look at,” Alison teases. Charlotte flushes.

“Yes, I suppose there is that, as well.”

The men do not reappear from the study until lunch is being served. They do not say a word, though Mr. Heywood rests a steady hand on his wife’s shoulder as he approaches his place at the table and Sidney flashes Charlotte a tense smile as he takes his seat across from her. As they eat, Mr. Heywood turns his attention to Tom and Mary, asking all sorts of questions about their family, the Sanditon season, all of which Tom answers with expected exuberance. At one point, Mary steers the conversation to the Regatta, and mentions Charlotte’s involvement. This of course is Charlotte’s segue to gush about the excitement of the summer, but she can barely manage to string together proper sentences. She is too distracted by the burning anticipation of learning what was discussed behind the heavy wooden door of her father’s study. 

“Please, Papa,” she interrupts as Tom is explaining Dr. Fuchs’s latest bathing apparatus, fixing her father with a pleading stare. “You mustn’t make us wait any longer.”

Mr. Heywood arches a brow. “I mustn’t, hmm? It seems to me you have already made up your mind, and my say on the matter means little.”

Charlotte colors a bit, repentant. “You know that is not true, Papa,” she says. “I care for your opinion a great deal.”

Mr. Heywood lets her sit and fidget with bated breath for a moment before releasing her from her worries with a soft smile. “How can I deny my daughter a chance at happiness?” he says warmly. “Mr. Parker seems to be a decent man, and more importantly, he regards you highly. I trust your judgement, Charlotte. You two shall be married.”

Charlotte cannot help herself, jumping to her feet with a squeal and running to throw her arms around both parents, kissing them each on the cheek.

“Thank you,” she whispers. Her parents squeeze her back and her mother kisses her forehead. 

“I hope you make each other happy, Lottie,” her mother says.

Charlotte pulls back, blinks her happy tears from her eyes. “We will, Mama. I know we will.”

* * *

Tom and Mary return to Sanditon the next morning, but Sidney remains in town. He books a room at the local inn and is determined to get to know his future in-laws and learn more about Willingden. As much as Charlotte appreciates the gesture, her village is small and her family is large. At least one of her siblings is practically hanging onto their coattails at nearly every turn. Sidney regards them all with respect and patience, never once shows any hint of annoyance by their constant presence. But it is a testament to both his and Charlotte’s power of wills that they have survived being in such close proximity with no time to be truly alone. Charlotte is not sure how long she can last, for she fears if she does not feel his lips against hers again soon, she might go mad.

A brief reprieve is found one afternoon, a few days into Sidney’s stay, during a walk through the countryside. Mr. Heywood had tasked Alison as their chaperone, and after they had crossed the bridge overlooking the river, Charlotte’s merciful sister had busied herself with inspecting the flowers along the riverbank. Her purposeful ignorance allows Charlotte and Sidney to wander into the privacy of the treeline. Once Alison is out of earshot, Sidney takes Charlotte’s hand and pulls her behind an exceptionally large tree, pressing her into the trunk.

“At last,” Sidney says with a sigh, wrapping his arms around her waist and burying his face in her wild curls. She does not wear a bonnet at home, he has noticed, despite the sun shining high in the sky. It is no wonder why her cheeks and nose are adorned with the most adorable freckles. He thinks he has nearly memorized the constellation of them and could draw their exact positions from memory.

“I can’t believe you’re here,” Charlotte says. “Every morning I wake in my bed and think that this summer has all been a figment of my imagination, and then you appear and remind me that it’s all real.”

Her hands wander up his back, his neck, pluck his tophat from his head and toss it to the ground so that she can wind her fingers into his hair. The curls have grown out a bit, and though she is sure they will be trimmed by his valet once back in Sanditon, Charlotte wants to appreciate them while she can. 

“I’m scared that one day you’ll wake up and come to your senses,” Sidney says into her neck, “and realize that a brute such as myself is vastly undeserving of you.”

“Never,” Charlotte promises. He kisses the underside of her jaw. “You are a wonderful man, Mr. Parker, with a good heart. I am honored to stand beside you for the rest of our lives.”

“ _ Charlotte _ ,” Sidney groans, lifting his head to kiss her soundly. “Sometimes I do think of you as some kind of angel.”

“I am hardly such,” Charlotte laughs when he pulls back. “My thoughts of late have been...entirely too impure for that of an angel.”

“Is that so?” Sidney smiles roguishly. “Pray, I would love to hear some of these thoughts.”

“I have found myself in quite a state of longing,” she confesses. “I know that holding a wedding so soon would be a cause for scandal and gossip, but I cannot help but wish we could just get married tomorrow. The sooner we are wed the sooner we will be able to be alone together freely.”

Sidney’s eyes darken at her words. “If I were a lesser man, I would whisk you off to London and have a marriage officiated within the evening,” he vows. “But I would never deny you the proper wedding you deserve, surrounded by your family. Celebrated as you rightfully should be.” 

Charlotte’s heart swells at this. Though the idea of a secret London wedding does still hold some appeal...

“But,” Sidney continues, eyes twinkling with mischief, “if you feel so inclined, we can take advantage of the time we have together now, my darling.”

_ Here? Out in the open? _ Despite her confusion, Charlotte is already saying yes. 

Sidney glances about, checking to make sure Alison is still out of earshot before grasping her left thigh and bringing it about his waist. His hand slips beneath her dress and slides up her legs, over her stockings, until he meets the bare skin of her thigh. 

“Is this all right?” he breathes. Charlotte, rendered breathless by his touch, nods fervently. 

His hand feels like fire on her skin as he moves it slowly north, until his entire large hand covers her center. She feels small under his touch and his heated gaze, but not in a way that makes her feel insecure, but rather in a way that makes her feel warm. Safe. Loved.

Sidney stares deep into her eyes as he tenderly strokes her most private place. She is wet already, his fingers easily gliding through her slippery heat. When his thumb settles over her bud, she is thankful that her thigh is wrapped around his waist, for otherwise she might have nearly tumbled to the ground.

“Oh,  _ Sidney _ ,” she gasps as he gently rubs the sensitive flesh. Her chest heaves and she feels a blush creeping down her neck. His free hand comes to her back, expertly loosening her stays so that he can tug them down.Once she is freed, he tugs the neckline of her dress down as well and buries his face in her cleavage. He adorns the swell of her breasts with hot, open-mouthed kisses, the drag of his teeth over her skin nearly making her dizzy. 

Charlotte had never been uncomfortable in her body, but after spending a brief period of time in London, she was struck by the way that most women of the beau monde looked identical: soft blonde hair, a tiny pointed nose, a lithe figure with delicate hips and modest breasts. She was noticeably out of place, with her sun-kissed skin, wide hips, sizable breasts. Add her outspoken and curious personality to the mix and she was quite sure that she was not fit for such a firmly molded society. But with the way Sidney looks at her, when he tugs her dress further down to tease her nipples with his tongue over the thin fabric of her chemise, she realizes that she simply does not care. Her body could not be wrong if it makes him look at her like  _ that _ .

He slips one finger inside her heat, the stretch of it making her groan softly. It does not hurt, but she knows it is only a single digit, and for her to take more-- to take  _ him _ \-- will be a challenge. It is a good thing she is not in the fashion of turning away from a challenge.

“Kiss me,” she pleads. Sidney lifts his head from her breasts and finds her lips immediately. He swallows her soft moans, crooks his finger at an angle inside of her that makes her gasp into his mouth and clench down upon him. While still giving generous attention to her bud with his thumb, he continues to press upon that spot inside her. Charlotte finds herself steadily careening down an unfamiliar path. She feels something brewing inside her, an intense pressure building at the base of her spine. She latches onto the feeling, chases it, sure that what comes at the end will destroy her.

“Another, darling, can you take another?” Sidney growls as he slips another long finger inside her. The burn of the stretch is easy to bear when compared to the pleasure licking up her spine, making her arch her back and press closer to him. “That’s it, Charlotte.  _ Fuck _ , you are remarkable.” 

Charlotte nearly loses her footing now, wrapping her arms around his shoulders to stay upright. There is something about hearing such vulgarity escape from his lips that excites her even more than his touch. Sidney holds his body against her firmly, keeping her in place. She can feel his hardness against her thigh as his hand works feverishly beneath her dress. She should be mortified by the sounds she is making, wanton gasps and sharp cries, but she cannot bring herself to care. 

“Sidney, I--I am--” Charlotte cannot find the words for what she is as her pleasure finally reaches its peak. Her toes curl and she clenches down around his fingers, keeping him trapped inside her as she writhes against him. It feels as if she has been swept away by the sea, being tugged out and tossed around by the current, helpless against its assault against her. She tries to kiss him, to anchor herself with his being, but her movements are sloppy, her lips landing on his cheek, the side of his mouth, the sharp angle of his jaw. 

Sidney keeps her held firmly in place as she rides out the waves of pleasure, watching in awe as she eventually comes back to herself. He is quite certain that he has never been so hard before in his life, and the delicious spectacle of watching Charlotte come undone beneath his hands nearly brought about his own release, as well. 

“Was that…” Sidney starts, clearing his throat. He slowly slips his fingers from her and she immediately misses them. “Was that quite alright?”

“Quite alright?” Charlotte gasps. She presses a hand to her chest to help calm her rapidly beating heart. “I suppose I know the reason that girls are never told anything of bedroom matters, that we are told merely to lie back and wait for our husbands to finish.”

Sidney’s eyes flash with anger. “That is preposterous, Charlotte, I would never expect you to--”

“The  _ reason _ ,” Charlotte continues pointedly, smoothing a hand over his chest. “Is that if we were to know that true pleasure such as this could be found, there would be little else we would want to do. A household will fall to ruin.”

Sidney relaxes, huffs out a laugh and kisses her forehead. “I will happily let our household fall to ruin, my dear. If it is such pleasure you seek, it will be my absolute honor to provide. Whenever you wish.”

He helps her to right her clothing, pointedly ignoring the way she looks curiously at the obvious bulge in his trousers. She takes his arm and they continue their stroll, eventually reuniting with Alison, who had been weaving a flower crown of daisies by the riverbank. Charlotte insists on making one for Sidney as well, and the trio wear their crowns well into the night, earning a hidden smile from Mr. and Mrs. Heywood over dinner.

* * *

Eventually, something _does_ happen in Willingden. At the end of the week, the skies suddenly darken and a swarm of thick, ominous clouds roll in. Mrs. Heywood’s knees start to ache early in the evening and she warns that this storm will be a bad one. It spares no time rolling over the countryside, giving everyone barely enough time to get indoors before the torrential downpour begins. The wind whips into a furious gale and the raindrops fall with a ferocity Charlotte has not seen in years. As she sits in front of the fireplace, a book detailing the philosophies of Heraclitus long forgotten on her lap, she fears that the rain might even turn into hail.

“I fear I must leave before this gets much worse, Miss Heywood,” Sidney says. He had stayed after dinner to have a brandy with her father, and when they emerged from his study they had both stared out the window with similar frowns.

“What? It’s too dangerous to travel in such a storm,” Charlotte protests, jumping to her feet. 

“It is less than a ten minute’s journey to the inn,” Sidney says, trying to appease her. “We will take care.”

“I have to agree with my daughter, Mr. Parker,” Mrs. Heywood pipes up, peering the curtains back to cluck her tongue at the storm. “These storms get worse before they get better. I would feel most uncomfortable with you traveling in such a state, even if it is just a short distance.”

“It’s my fault you stayed for so long. If you hadn’t agreed to drink with me, you would have been settled at the inn by now,” Mr. Heywood says. He takes a seat across from his daughter, offering her a good-natured wink. “Stay the night, Mr. Parker. We will fix a room for you.”

Sidney ducks his head. “I couldn’t possibly, sir--”

“Stay,” Mr. Heywood insists. “I have no wish to have my head ripped off by my daughter if I sent you out into such a dreadful storm and something were to happen to you.”

“Papa,” Charlotte says, rolling her eyes. “You must think of me to be quite the beast.”

“Not a beast, my sweet girl, only delightfully willful.”

Charlotte looks to Sidney, who is waiting for her approval. When she gives him a slight nod, his shoulders relax. 

“Thank you, Mr. and Mrs. Heywood,” Sidney says, bowing his head towards her father. “Your hospitality is most appreciated.”

Despite having stayed under the same roof as him back at Trafalgar house, Charlotte feels quite the thrill over Sidney staying the night. There’s something about him being here, in her family home, going to sleep just a few paces down the hall that exhilarates her. 

Just as she finishes dressing for bed, Charlotte hears a horrible commotion from outside. She flies down the stairs, her and Alison hovering over the window by the landing. They peer out into the darkness, trying to discover the source of the noise.

“It’s the barn!” Jonathan, Charlotte’s eldest brother, calls from his bedroom, which has a window that overlooks the rear of the property. She can hear more footsteps thundering upstairs. “Papa, the door’s about the fly clean off!”

With just their jackets thrown over their nightclothes, Jonathan and Mr. Heywood rush down the stairs and out the back door. Sidney, who had overheard the yells, grabs his own coat and rushes after them without a second thought. The three men rush to the barn, where the lock had opened, and the heavy door was swung open and broken free of the bottom rung. 

“A few good gusts and it’ll come clean off!” Jonathan yells over the wind. Sidney, chilled to the bone from the second he stepped outside, grits his teeth and nods. The cold rain feels like piercing arrows against his skin, even over his thick coat. 

“We need to secure the lock!” Mr. Heywood commands. “Help me get the door shut!”

He and Sidney take the task of shoving the heavy door against the wind while Jonathan waits for them to bring it closed enough to refasten the lock. The men battle against nature’s wrath in order to get the door in place, but just as they nearly have it closed, an unexpectedly strong gust blows through again and the door swings back open. This time the second rung breaks loose, as well.

Charlotte gasps and covers her mouth. Watching from the window, she is just able to see the door swing open again with ferocity, catching Sidney in the abdomen and sending him flying backwards. Without thinking, she runs for the door, but Alison grabs her arm and pulls her back to the window. 

“Wait, Charlotte!” she says. “Look!”

Mindful of the swinging door, Mr. Heywood offers Sidney his hand and helps him stumble to his feet. Charlotte holds her breath as Sidney seems to gather all his strength, and the three men get behind the door to shove it closed with all their might. They are able to refasten the lock, and though the door will have to be fixed come the morning, the damage is not as severe as it could have been.

Charlotte breathes a sigh of relief, but her anxiety is quickly reinstated when she sees her brother and father each throw one of her fiance's arms around their shoulders and help guide Sidney back inside. She is on them as soon as they come through the door. All three of them are shivering and soaking wet, but her only focus is on Sidney, his eyes screwed shut and his jaw clenched in pain.

“Sidney,” she says softly, reaching down to cup his face. In her concern for him she forgets herself, using his Christian name in front of her family and tenderly wiping the rivulets of water from his cheeks. “Sidney, are you alright?”

“Quite alright, my dear,” he hisses through gritted teeth. He attempts a weak smile. “I’ve had worse, I assure you.”

The men ease him down on the settee in front of the fire and Mrs. Heywood runs over with spare linens. Charlotte does not hesitate to take a blanket and throw it around Sidney’s shoulders. He is hunched over, cradling his right side. 

“That’s a cracked rib, I reckon,” Jonathan says as he dries off. “I could hear it hit you, even over the wind.”

“We will fetch our doctor at the first sign of the storm’s lessening,” Mrs. Heywood says. “Dr. Mathers is a good man, he’ll have you right in a jiff.”

“No need, Mrs. Heywood,” Sidney says tightly. “I am sure it will be no more than just a nasty bruise. I will be fine.”

“Please, have the doctor look at you,” Charlotte begs. “If not for your sake, then for my own peace of mind.”

Sidney softens, his fingers circling her wrist and giving a light squeeze. “Of course, Miss Heywood. If you insist.”

“Thank you for your help, Mr. Parker,” Mr. Heywood says. “I fear we might not have managed it without you.”

“It was nothing, Mr. Heywood.”

“It was very much something,” Mr. Heywood insists. “It relieves me to know that you will be joining our family soon. Come, let Jonathan help you get settled for bed.”

Jonathan helps Sidney to his feet. They bid the women goodnight and slowly head upstairs. Charlotte helps her mother clean up the wet linens and then her and Alison retire themselves. As she lays in bed, Charlotte hides a smile in her pillow. Though she thought of Sidney’s injury sets her alight with worry, her father’s words have left her heart feeling warm and full. 


	3. Chapter 3

Charlotte rises before the sun the next morning, peaks out her window to see the soft pink sky and the promise of a beautiful day. It is Sunday, and so she takes comfort in knowing her parents tend to sleep in an extra hour before church. Using this knowledge to her advantage, she slips out of bed and slowly pads down the hall. 

Her brothers had rearranged their rooms, squishing together to allow Sidney a room for himself for the night. He is to return to the inn this morning, after seeing the doctor, and meet them for church services later.

Mindful of the creaks in the floorboards, Charlotte sneaks down the hall into Sidney’s room and shuts the door behind her. 

Sidney is asleep, sprawled across the mattress. He is in soft pants and a linen shirt, which is unbuttoned and hanging loosely at his sides. The sheets are bunched up around his feet, and he is sprawled on his back with his head tilted slightly towards her. She can see the purpled bruising of his ribs, the area already swollen, and her heart lurches. As she steps inside the room he starts to stir.

“It’s me,” she whispers quickly, sitting on the side of his bed and placing her hand on his chest before he can sit up. His skin is hot beneath her touch. He blinks drearily. Her father had crafted some concoction last night, a draught he swore would be better than anything a doctor would prescribe, promising that it would both help with the pain and ease him into sleep. 

“Charlotte,” Sidney gasps, when he fully comes to. “You shouldn’t be in here.” But he reaches for her all the same. She is just in her shift, with a thin shawl wrapped around her shoulders. It slips down when he grabs her, exposing the skin of her shoulders as she reaches for him. His eyes fall to her clavicle and his pupils widen. 

“I wanted to see how you’re doing,” she whispers. “Without prying eyes.”

“It is not proper for you to see me in such a state.”

“I’ve seen you in a worse state,” Charlotte says in jest. His eyes flash with the memory of their meeting at the cove. “Are you in terrible pain?”

“Not terrible,” Sidney says. “Like I said, I have had worse.”

“From those underground fighting rings, I presume?” Charlotte says dryly. Sidney quirks an eyebrow. “Georgiana’s maid told her, and naturally, she told me.”

Sidney huffs and lays back on the pillows. Charlotte cannot help but tease him. “I cannot believe I am to marry such a roguish man.”

“I will never set foot in there again,” Sidney vows, suddenly serious. “It was a means of blowing off steam, nothing else.” 

She runs her hand over his chest, hoping to soothe him. “I shall hope that you will find new ways to blow off steam once we’re married,” Charlotte says demurely, trying to hide her smirk. Sidney grasps her waist tightly, his eyes burning into hers.

“I do hope so.”

He shifts his legs, sneakily attempting to hide the growing bulge in his linen pants, but winces with the movement. 

“Sidney! You mustn’t move if it causes you discomfort.”

“I fear I will cause you discomfort if I do not,” Sidney admits, his face hot. Charlotte dares to look down, her face coloring at the hardness she sees.

“You could not discomfit me,” she says softly, curiously. Her small hand reaches out, hovers over him. Sidney’s breath catches. “Can I...would it be…”

“You may touch me,” he allows. She presses her hand against his hardness, feels it stiffen further under her touch. Sidney groans as she squeezes his length, his hand on her waist tightening to the point of pain.

“May I speak frankly,” Charlotte asks as she slowly rubs her hand up and down his length, marveling at the feeling of impossible stiffness beneath the fabric of his breeches.

Sidney chokes out a tortured laugh. Leave it to Charlotte to have her hand on his cock and being asking if she can be honest with him, as if she has ever hesitated to do so before. “I find it remarkable that this is the time you choose to ask me about frankness. Please, speak as frankly as you wish.”  _ Say whatever you want, just don’t stop.  _

Charlotte looks up at him with wide, curious eyes. “This is meant to fit inside of me?” He twitches beneath her grip and Sidney stops breathing. “I fear that it might not.”

“Stop, stop,” Sidney says through gritted teeth. Charlotte jerks her hand away, scared to have hurt him more. Though it hurts worse to have her hands off him, he would not be in control of herself if he allowed her to continue. 

“I’m sorry, did I—”

“Do not apologize,” Sidney says fiercely. “It is me who is not in control of myself.”

He tugs her atop him, and she squeaks at the sudden movement, taking care not to press on his sore ribs. He captures her lips in a searing kiss. Her shawl falls to the floor and he wastes no time fastening one hand at the base of her neck, keeping her in place as she starts kissing down her neck, over her collarbones, across her shoulders. The strap of her shift falls even further down her arm and the curve of her breast is exposed. Sidney kisses and nips the top of it, until her nipples are hardened peaks begging to be touched.

Before she can gather the courage to take his hand to her breast, he pulls away and flops back into the pillows. Charlotte follows him back down, her hair creating a curtain around his face as she presses a tender kiss to his forehead. The sunlight is streaming in through a gap in the curtains, its rays growing stronger by the minute.

“I must go back to bed before anyone else wakes,” she whispers. Sidney nods, bringing her hand to his mouth and kissing her fingers. 

“I will see you at church, then.”

“I will be counting down the minutes.”

Charlotte moves lithely out of the room, tiptoeing back down the hall, grateful that she makes it back without raising any suspicion. And if Alison Heywood notices her sister sneaking back into their room in the wee hours of the morning, her shift askew and her face flushed, she says nothing. She simply rolls over and smiles into her pillow.

* * *

Sidney is back on his feet within two days, and on the third, they leave for Sanditon. They were due to return earlier, in order to be in attendance for Lord Babington and Esther Denham’s wedding, but Sidney’s injuries prevented it. He was loathe to miss his best friend’s celebration, but Babington is an understanding man. According to the letter he sent after Sidney wrote and explained their situation, good old Babbers would be content with simply a round of ale once they are all back in London together. Charlotte writes her own congratulatory letter to Esther, and is surprised to receive a heartfelt reply. With Sidney and Babington so close of friends, Charlotte hopes her and Esther can establish a closer relationship, too.

Alison is sent to Sanditon as well, partially as a chaperone and partially to satiate her desire to travel from the Willingden estate. She spends much of the journey asking Sidney questions about London, and Charlotte tries to keep her smile at bay. At nineteen years old, her sister is at the cusp of her own freedom. She believes that once Alison comes of age, there will be little done to keep her in one place at all. 

“Will you live in London once you’re married?” Alison asks them. 

Sidney looks to Charlotte, letting her answer. It was something they had discussed just recently, on one of their many walks around Willingden. 

“Now that Sidney has a more active role in the development of the town, we will be splitting our time between Sanditon and London,” she tells her sister. “I would love to stay in Sanditon permanently, but Sidney still has business in London that needs tending to.”

“Charlotte is loathe to part with Sanditon. She seems to have fallen quite in love with the place,” Sidney teases. “Perhaps she’ll change her mind once she experiences a winter on the coast.”

Charlotte nudges her foot against his leg across the carriage. “You know it is not just the town that I love, but the people in it.”

“Oh, you two are rightfully sickening,” Alison says, rolling her eyes. She seems to remember herself after a moment. “Apologizes, Mr. Parker. I’ve just never seen my sister in such a state.”

“Please, if I am to be your brother, you must call me Sidney,” he insists good-naturedly. “And I fear you might have to get used to it. I endeavor to keep her in such spirits for quite some time.”

Alison rolls her eyes again, her head lolling back against the wall of the carriage. “May the Lord have mercy on me. How much longer is this ride?”

* * *

Once back in Sanditon, any time Sidney and Charlotte have to spend together seems few and far between. For the sake of propriety, Sidney rents a room at the inn while Charlotte and Alison stay at Trafalgar House. He calls upon Charlotte every morning before he sees to Sanditon business, and they manage to take a few more walks along the clifftops, and even race the sailboats with the children from time to time. But Tom has Sidney wrapped up in plans for the town’s development, and Mary has taken it upon herself to help plan the wedding, and so their time together is often cut short or interrupted. 

After a few weeks, Sidney heads to London in order to meet with one of Lady Susan’s new investors, who wants to hold a yuletide ball. Charlotte is surprised to see a letter from Lady Susan two days later, requesting that she, Alison, and Georgiana join her for a few days. She has arranged for the young women to meet with her modiste and have a proper dress fitting before the wedding, which is now just three weeks away, set for the first weekend in November.

“My dear friend,” Susan greets Charlotte when the ladies enter her foyer. “It has been too long.”

“Thank you kindly for inviting us,” Charlotte says, accepting Susan’s kiss on the cheek. “You are a most generous friend.”

“Think nothing of it,” she says, and looks behind Charlotte. “Miss Lambe, lovely to see you again. And this must be--”

“ _ Charlotte? _ ” 

The women turn around at the sound of footsteps coming down the hall. Sidney is striding towards them, two unfamiliar men behind him. Charlotte assumes they must be the new investors that Sidney had been meeting with. 

“Ah, Mr. Parker, you’re just in time,” Susan says warmly, turning to face the gentlemen. “Mr. Grant and Mr. Porter, allow me to introduce you to my guests.” 

“Please do,” says one of the men. He has a slick black mustache and unkind eyes. Charlotte tenses when he looks at her appraisingly. Before Susan can continue, Sidney crosses to Charlotte’s side and places his hand on the small of her back.

“This is Charlotte Heywood,” he says, a tension in his voice that Charlotte is sure only she picks up on. “My fiance.”

“I see,” the man says again, eyes sharper. “What a pleasure it is to meet you.”

Not giving Charlotte a chance to respond, Sidney motions to Georgiana and Alison. “And this is my ward, Miss Georgiana Lambe, and Miss Alison Heywood, Charlotte’s sister.”

Alison, to her credit, curtsies to the gentlemen. Georgiana regards them with a cool stare, and there’s something about the way Sidney is touching her that tells Charlotte she should remain still as well.

The other gentleman offers them a warm smile. “Well met, ladies. We were just discussing with Mr. Parker our intentions to invest in Sanditon. By all accounts it is shaping up to be a promising town.”

“I could not agree more, Mister…”

“Grant, Elias Grant,” the man says.

“Elias is my cousin,” Susan explains. “And Mr. Porter is his brother-in-law. They, too, have grown tired of Brighton.”

“Well, that’s awfully lucky for us,” Charlotte says with a tight smile. Mr. Porter drags his lecherous gaze over all three ladies. Sidney steps even closer to Charlotte, angling her body slightly behind his.

“Come, gentlemen, I shall show you out,” Susan intervenes. The men bid them all goodbye and she leads them out the door. Once that have turned the corner, Sidney visibly relaxes and pulls Charlotte against his chest.

“If I had known you were coming, I would not have scheduled so many meetings today,” he says, kissing the top of her head. Alison and Georgiana busy themselves by studying the art hanging on the walls, pointedly looking everywhere but at Charlotte and Sidney.

“Susan sent for us. She has made an appointment with her modiste for a dress fitting,” Charlotte says against his chest, taking a deep breath, inhaling his heady scent, an intoxicating aroma of smokey cloves and cinnamon. “I would have sent a post, but I thought we could surprise you.”

“And what a lovely surprise it has been.” Sidney squeezes her waist. He glances down towards the grandfather clock at the end of the hall. He has fifteen minutes to spare until his next engagement, and it is all the way across town. Sighing, he takes a step back at holds her at arm’s length. “But unfortunately, I cannot stay.”

“Not to worry,” Susan says as she reappears. “We have a full day ahead of us, don’t we, ladies?”

“Yes, my lady.” Alison says, eyes alight with excitement. “I am most excited to see London.”

“And I am most excited to be out of Sanditon,” Georgiana says with a smirk. Sidney rolls his eyes.

“Do your plans extend to this evening?” he asks them. “Shall we all dine together?”

Charlotte looks to Susan hopefully, and her friend smiles. “I’m sure that can be arranged, Mr. Parker. Meet us back here at seven o’clock.”

“Splendid.” Sidney presses a kiss to Charlotte’s hand. “I shall see you tonight.”

“Tonight,” Charlotte echoes, her skin burning where his lips had touched. She is desperate to have his hands on her again, so struck with yearning for him that she is quite sure she is on a slow descent into madness. With a heated gaze, Sidney bids her farewell, says goodbye to the rest of the women, and departs.

Susan doesn’t waste any time, barely giving the ladies a moment to leave their things behind before she is shuffling them into a carriage and off to her modiste. To Charlotte’s surprise, upon their arrival they are greeted by none other than Esther Denham-- or rather, Lady Esther Babington. 

“Esther!” Charlotte does not hesitate to open her arms for a hug, and the woman embraces her with a smile. “Whatever are you doing here?”

“I was just finishing up my own fitting, for your wedding no less,” Esther tells her. “I overheard Madame Leonce mention that her next client is a friend of Lady Worcester’s, a young woman due to be the new Mrs. Sidney Parker, and I had to stay and say hello!”

Charlotte is shocked by the woman before her. Her eyes are bright and her smile is wide, and she seems like an altogether different person than the one Charlotte had first met when she came to Sanditon. It warms her heart to see Esther so obviously happy, and she is sure it is in no small part due to the kind nature of her new husband.

Susan invites Esther to sit and take tea with her while the girls are fitted for their new gowns. Alison and Georgiana are taken into the back by Madame Leonce, a portly woman with a sharp nose and elegant updo, swathed in the most elegant of silks. While waiting for her turn, Charlotte sits with Susan and Esther. Conversation is amicable and nonchalant, mostly covering the weather and bits of gossip about London’s beau monde (most of which goes over Charlotte’s head), until Esther gets a mischievous look in her eyes.

“Tell me, Charlotte,” Esther says with a wry grin as she sips her tea. “Are you greatly anticipating your marriage?”

“Oh, yes,” Charlotte says enthusiastically. “I am quite excited. I’ve always thought weddings to be so beautiful. I do wish we could have attended yours.”

“Oh, never mind the ceremony.” Esther waves her hand. “It can be a fine day, sure, but it is mostly pretense. I am asking if you have any questions about  _ marriage _ .”

Charlotte catches her meaning and blushes. 

“Don’t turn into a prude on me. Such conversations I find much more enjoyable with pleasant company as opposed to getting such a talk from one’s mother,” Esther continues. “Don’t you agree, Susan?”

Susan shoots Esther an exasperated look. “I would have asked a bit differently, but yes. Are there any questions plaguing you, my dear Charlotte? Are you nervous?”

“Nervous? No, not nervous. Just...curious, I suppose. I fear that I will be dreadfully out of my depths.”

“Do you know much of the marriage bed?” Susan asks gently.

“I know some, but I do confess I had no idea that it had the potential for such--” she cuts herself off, realizing what she is revealing.

Esther squeals with delight. “Oh, I knew it! I could tell from the way that he looks at you, like someone who has had his favorite dessert ripped from his hands after only one taste. Was it his hands or his mouth?”

“Esther! Have some shame,” Susan gasps.

Charlotte gapes. “His mouth? You mean to say...that is something he might…?”

“He might, you might,” Esther shrugs. “There is lots to explore within a healthy relationship. But do not try to distract me. It was his hands, then?”

“ _ Yes _ , if you must know,” Charlotte hisses, glancing over her shoulder to make sure her sister has not returned. “Though it was only the one time, back in Willingden. I fear our time alone together has been hard to come by ever since.”

Susan hums sympathetically, patting her hand. “The wedding is but three weeks away now! You two shall be inseparable before you know it.”

Charlotte sighs. “I do hope so.” She has waited long enough.

* * *

During dinner, Charlotte can barely look Sidney in the eye. She fears that if she looks at him, her thoughts will be written all over her face, and he will know exactly what her and Susan and Esther had discussed during her dress fitting. He knows that something us up, of course, and when they leave the table he corners her in the hallway. 

“Are you alright?” he asks her, tenderly cupping her cheek. “You seem distracted.”

“I confess that I have much on my mind,” she tells him. “Esther and Susan had very many...specific insights about life within a marriage that they shared with me today.”

“Oh?” Sidney arches an eyebrow. “Pray, I hope you will share them with me.”

“They told me what to expect upon our wedding night, and I—”

“Charlotte!”

They spring apart as Georgiana rounds the corner. She looks a bit repentant when she sees them together. “I’m sorry, I don’t mean to interrupt. I just wanted to talk.” 

“Please, go ahead,” Sidney says graciously. His eyes say that he wishes he could stay to continue their conversation, but Charlotte knows he is making a conscious effort to build a positive relationship with his ward. If this is what he must do to curry some favor with her, then he will give them their time. He bows to each of them and leaves them alone to talk.

“Georgiana, is everything alright?” Charlotte asks her friend. Georgiana takes her hand with a small smile.

“I think so. There’s just...something been weighing on my mind that I have to ask.”

“Please.” Charlotte pulls them to sit on a settee against the wall, beneath an ornate portrait of Susan’s mother. “You may ask me anything.”

“I just have to wonder,” Georgiana starts slowly, “when you and Sidney are married...what will happen to me?”

Charlotte furrows her brow in confusion. “What do you mean? You shall live with us, of course.”

The surprise on Georgiana’s face must show, because Charlotte hurriedly continues. “Unless you do not wish to. I would understand.”

“No, no, it’s not that,” Georgiana says, shaking her head. “I’m just a bit shocked. I was not expecting Sidney to be okay with such an arrangement.”

Charlotte squeezes her friend’s hand. “Georgiana, it was his idea.”

“ _ Really? _ ”

“ _ Yes, _ ” Charlotte laughs. “We weren’t going to say anything until we have our own lodgings established, but yes. Sidney is committed to making things right between you two, and that means making sure you have your own place within our home.”

Georgiana is silent for a moment, staring at a fixed point on her lap. Charlotte lets her take a moment, and when she looks up, her eyes are glistening.

“Charlotte, I don’t know what to say...Thank you.”

She shakes her head. “You don’t need to thank us for doing the right thing.” 

Georgiana sniffles and rests her head on Charlotte’s shoulder. “We shall be a real family?”

“Yes, my dear friend. We shall.”

* * *

It is one week before Sidney is due to marry the love of his life, and instead of being overwhelmed with joy, he is more tense and stressed than he has ever been in his life. 

Now that the funding for Sanditon is more secure than ever, Tom is unrelenting in his drive to turn the town into the finest seaside resort in Sussex. And since Sidney has the ultimate control over everything, he spends most of his time being dragged around, scouting locations and vetoing unnecessary projects, therefore arguing with his brother at almost every turn. Today he is lucky and manages to lose Tom at the inn in the late afternoon, saying he wants to freshen up before joining the family at Trafalgar house for dinner. Tom leaves him alone, but instead of going up to his room, Sidney stalks towards the beach. The only thing that is going to relieve his tension right now is a good swim in some choppy seas, and even that, he fears, might not be enough. 

He makes it to his secluded cove without seeing anyone. As he strips off his clothing, he notes that the weather is unseasonably warm for the first day of November, and he hopes it will hold for the wedding at the end of the week. Sidney leaves his clothes draped over an outcropping of rocks and wades out to sea. 

Despite the warm weather, the sea is icy cold, and it is no wonder that only a few souls have deigned to brave it since the end of the summer. Though at first he feels chilled to the bone, Sidney takes a deep breath once the water reaches his waist, and dives beneath the waves. Once the shock of the temperature wears off, his body adjusts quickly. Once his lungs start to burn with the exertion, he rises from the water, gasping for breath, feeling invigorated. 

The current is strong today, and it does not take long for his muscles to start to strain as he moves against it. Sidney swims far out, farther than he’s gone before, until his feet can no longer touch the ocean floor. He wades out there for a few moments, his mind blissfully empty for the first time in weeks. No figures to calculate, no wage errors to dispute. Just him and the sun and the sea. 

“Sea bathing is a bit out of season, isn’t it, Mr. Parker?”

Sidney still has his back to the shore, but he smiles at the sound of her voice. Inhaling deeply, he sinks underwater and turns back, starting for the shore. He lets the flow of the tide guide him back towards the beach, and rises from the sea once his feet can touch the sandy bottom again. Charlotte stands at the shoreline, just close enough for the water to lap at the tips of her boots, to stain the bottom of her soft pink pelisse. 

She holds his gaze as he strides towards her. The water is at his ribs, then in a few paces, his navel, and then a few more, and it rests at the vee of his hips. Sidney pauses, giving her a moment to make a decision. Her face is flushed but she does not move to turn around. He waits her out, and when she remains unflinching, he continues toward her. Her eyes do not wander, do not leave his own, but she bites her bottom lip as he gets closer. 

“Did you enjoy your swim, Mr. Parker?” she asks as he exits the water completely. Sidney smirks, shaking out his hair.

“Indeed,” he says. He eyes the shells she has held in her left hand. “Gathering some last minute wedding decorations?”

“Just something to keep my mind busy.” Charlotte turns serious. “I overheard Tom telling Mary that you seemed upset. Is everything alright?”

Sidney grabs his trousers and steps into them, a bit awkwardly due to his damp skin. He leaves them loose around his waist, not fully fastening his fall, and dons his shirt as well. 

“It’s quite alright, my dear. Just frustrated with him, is all. Nothing new.”

Charlotte steps forward. “Can I help?”

Sidney lightly strokes her cheek. She is surprised at the warmth of his hand, sure that it would have been chilled by the sea. “It’s nothing you have to concern yourself with. You should be worrying about happier things, like our wedding.”

“So should you,” Charlotte insists. She looks around, making sure that they are truly alone, and then surges forward and kisses him, catching him off guard. He cups her face and keeps his body angled away, not wanting to soak her coat and have her catch a chill. But he should have known that she has other plans for him. She drops the shells and her newly freed hands toy with the buttons of his shirt, tentative, then daring as she sneaks under it to trace the skin of his chest. It is damp but warm, the muscles rippling under her touch. Sidney sucks in a breath as she trails her soft fingers down his abdomen and come to rest them on the waistband of his trousers.

“Charlotte,” he breathes, and she closes her eyes. She could listen to him say her name forever. Each way he says it means something else. Amused, fond, aroused.  _ I love you, I’m going to kiss you, _ and now,  _ I want you _ .

“I have been thinking about the things I want to try,” she says. “And I find it unacceptable that you have brought me such pleasure and I have been unable to reciprocate it.”

“On the contrary, my dear,” Sidney hisses as she slides her hand over the bulge in his pants. “You have given me more pleasure than you could imagine.”

“But not in the way you gave to me,” she says firmly, with a determined pout. “I want to make you feel the way I felt that day back in Willingden, when you...”

She trails off and looks up at him with her big brown eyes all wide and hopeful. Sidney curses internally. Propriety be damned, he cannot say no to her.

“Alright,” he concedes, kissing her again. She smiles against his lips and he takes her hand, guiding it beneath his trousers. He hadn’t fastened them properly, so she can easily find and grasp his cock. She gasps when her fingers curl around his hardened length, and when he looks down at her, her eyes are excited and bright. 

“Like this?” she asks, stroking him slowly. Her hands are small and warm and impossibly soft. Sidney manages a pained nod.

“Perfect, darling. Absolutely perfect.”

Charlotte experiments with him, tightening and loosening her grip, switching hands, dragging her fingers along the underside of his shaft, tracing the vein that runs beneath the head. Sidney keeps both hands on either side of her neck, his fingers wound in her loose curls, keeping her in place so he can kiss her with a ferocity he did not know that he possessed. It takes every ounce of his tried and tested self control to not throw her down onto the sand and have his way with her right on the shore. She is entirely too apt at this particular task, and when he pulls back from her lips to catch his breath, she must decide that it’s time to do him in because she starts talking.

“I have been trying to do what you did,” she confesses softly. “With your hands. I used to try in the brief moments that I was by myself back at home, but it never felt right, so I gave up. After experiencing what you did, I tried again, hoping to learn how to bring that same pleasure to myself.”

The thought of Charlotte alone in her bed, touching herself, desperate for the climax that he gave her, nearly sends Sidney to his knees. 

“I could not manage it,” Charlotte says, sounding slightly ashamed. “I know it is not proper for ladies to do so, but I have just been so desperate for you, I--”

Sidney cuts her off with another kiss. He bites roughly at her lower lip, and then soothes it with his tongue. His cock throbs in her hand at his words. “Do not be ashamed of your desires,” he growls against her mouth. He kisses her cheek, her jaw, the hollow of her throat. Charlotte seems to sense his own desperation and moves her hand quicker.

“It is not much longer until we are to be together fully,” Sidney promises, feeling his own release drawing close. He glances down, marveling at the sight of her small, soft hand wrapped around his length. “I will give you whatever you need, anything you need. I swear it to you.”

“I cannot wait to be your wife, Sidney Parker,” Charlotte says, and those words are his undoing. With a barely stifled groan, he manages to cup his hand over hers as he reaches his climax. He spills into her palm, his eyes squeezed shut as gasps against her cheek. Charlotte looks down and watches with fascination, and when he finally relaxes, he glances down at their hands and frowns.

“Forgive me, I should have stopped you before I made such a mess,” he says, taking her hand off him. She is slightly sticky and regards her hand curiously. “Here,” he says, guiding her a few steps forward toward the water. He bends down and cups his hands as a new wave crashes towards the shore, and then rises and releases the water over her palm, washing her clean. 

As she wipes her hand dry on the side of her pelisse, he tucks himself back into his trousers and fastens them shut properly. 

“Are you feeling more relaxed now, my love?” she teases. Sidney smiles as he dons his on his waistcoat and ties his cravat.

“Incredibly.” He slips on his heavy jacket and offers her his arm. “Come. I shall tell Tom I found you walking back in town. We don’t want to be late for dinner.”

Charlotte accepts his arm, curling close as they walk up the beach. He kisses the top of her head.

“And Charlotte?” 

She tilts her head up towards him. “Yes?”

“I cannot wait to be your husband.”


	4. Chapter 4

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> thank you so much for all of your kind words and endless support for this fic. it means so much to me! i'm quite new to this fandom, but it feels like I have been welcomed with open arms. you are all so lovely!
> 
> enjoy the wedding ;)

The brownstone overlooks the ocean. In the morning, the sun rises over the master bedroom and bathes the room in a brilliant glow. Sidney stands by the window, letting the sun warm his face. He’s getting married today. 

He had purchased the property soon after returning to Sanditon from Willingden, right after the building’s completion. There is a room downstairs for Georgiana, and the entire top floor is for him and Charlotte. It is sparsely furnished; just enough to get them started on their life’s journey together. He wants them to pick everything out together, wants Charlotte to have a say in how they make their home their own. Tom had offered the services of his household staff to help move Charlotte’s belongings from Trafalgar house to their new home during the ceremony. Sidney wanted everything to be ready for her when they arrive later tonight.

He gives the horizon one last look. Tomorrow morning, he will be looking at the same view, but with his wife by his side. Satisfied that Charlotte will be happy, Sidney turns and heads downstairs. It’s time to get ready.

* * *

The ceremony goes by in the blink of an eye. One moment Charlotte is standing outside the chapel, clutching her father’s arm, and the next Sidney is bending down to kiss her as their audience applauds around them. Then she is being swept back down the altar, and flowers are being thrown outside, and Sidney’s hand is on her waist, and she is quite sure that this is the happiest she has ever been. 

Lady Denham had offered her estate for the reception back when she had first heard the news of their engagement. Before she knows it, Charlotte and Sidney are being hustled into a carriage, the first in a long procession to Sanditon House. Once the door shuts behind them, Charlotte lets out a deep sigh and covers her face with her hands.

“I do hope the regrets are not setting in this early,” Sidney says from his seat across from her. The carriage starts to move and Charlotte looks up to see his sheepish smile.

“No regrets, Mr. Parker, only sheer disbelief.”

“Oh, Mrs. Parker? And what is so unbelievable?” 

“My happiness, of course.”

Charlotte shocks them both by launching herself onto his lap. He catches her with a surprised laugh, helping her to awkwardly situate herself, the plentiful skirts of her gown hindering her from getting fully comfortable. She finally manages to rest either leg astride his, her skirts gathered and bunched up around her hips. There is a small sliver of the skin of her thigh showing where the hem doesn’t quite meet the tops of her stockings, and Sidney traces it with his thumb. 

“Say it again,” she commands of him, leaning down so that her lips just barely brush over his as she speaks. He cranes his head up, searching, but she resists him. “Say it again.”

Sidney’s lips twitch in a smirk. “Mrs. Parker,” he breathes.

Charlotte’s grin is breathtaking. “I quite like the sound of that.” She finally relents, kissing him with unbridled passion. He growls, matching her fervor with his own. His hands are everywhere, her waist, her thighs, cupping her breasts. Charlotte rolls her hips against his, desperate to feel his hardness again. It feels like all too soon that they feel the carriage roll to a slow stop, and she pulls back with a frown.

“Can’t we circle the property for a bit?” she grumbles, sliding off him. “Let everyone get settled and then make our grand appearance?”

Sidney laughs heartily. “I fear that if we have to spend one more moment in this carriage, all I have planned for tonight will have to occur on this very seat.”

Charlotte colors. “You have plans for me, Mr. Parer?”

Sidney fixes her with a hungry stare. “Oh, Mrs. Parker, you have no idea.”

They quickly right themselves, fixing their rumpled clothes before they are hurried out of the carriage. From the moment they step foot on the grounds of Sanditon House, their lives become a whirlwind of hugs and congratulations and endless cheers. Their cake is so sweet that it makes Charlotte’s head spin. Or perhaps that is due to the wine, her glass never more than half-full in her hand. 

At one point, she loses Sidney, her and Mary trapped in conversation with the Parker’s Great-Aunt Mathilde while Lord Babington and Mr. Crowe whisk him off with devilish smirks. When she finds him later, when it is time to dance, his tophat is gone, his cravat is askew, and he is draining his glass while his friends cheer him on. 

Charlotte clears her throat as she approaches, and he turns to her with a nearly blinding smile. It makes her breath catch in her chest a little bit. She is often caught off guard by how truly beautiful he is, and it is right then that she endeavors to make him smile like that at least once a day for the rest of their lives.

“Aha! My bride!” he boasts, pulling her to his side immediately. “The most beautiful bride the world has ever seen. Am I right, gentlemen?”

“Out of respect to my own bride, I shan’t answer,” Babington says. “But you do look radiant Miss Hey- ahem, Mrs. Parker.” He takes her hand and kisses her knuckles.

“Thank you, Lord Babington.” Charlotte looks up at Sidney, resting a hand on his chest. “What say you, husband? Shall we dance?”

Sidney places his now empty glass on a nearby table and tenderly strokes her cheek. “Whatever you wish, my dear.”

Their first dance is proper, as they are mindful of everyone’s eyes upon them. Sidney holds her close but they maintain a respectable distance as they twirl about. He dutifully hands her over to her father for the second dance, and then to her brothers. She manages a dance with Tom, Arthur, and even Georgiana. By the time Sidney finds her again, her feet ache and she is short of breath, but she clings to him all the same.

This dance is different. It reminds her of their dance at the masquerade ball back in London, where he has looked at her in a way that had sent a tingle through her body, from the top of her head to the tips of her toes. He has that same look now, but this time, Charlotte knows what it means. 

“Have I told you how stunning you look?” his voice grumbles low in her ear while he holds her as they dance. Charlotte bites back her smile. 

“Yes, but I can stand to hear it once more.”

His hand on her back sits far lower than is appropriate, resting more on the swell of her behind than the small of her back. He uses it to hold her close against him, rocking them side to side as he kisses her jaw. 

“You look...divine,” he growls. “Like you’ve walked straight out of my dreams.”

“You’ve dreamt of me?” she teases, trying to keep her voice light, but it comes out more as a breathless whisper. 

Sidney pulls back to look her in the eye. “Every night, Charlotte.”

Her one hand is on his shoulder, and she trails it up to cup the base of his neck, scratching her nails lightly at the base of his scalp in the way she’s come to learn that he adores. His eyes darken and she leans in close, lips just brushing over his.

“Is it too soon for us to take our leave?”

Sidney smirks. “I was thinking the same thing.”

When the song ends, he takes her hand and pulls her in the direction of Tom and Mary, who are in conversation with Charlotte’s parents. They bid their goodbyes and express their many thanks before being shooed away with knowing smiles. They hastily board their carriage, and wave to their guests as they depart. Babington and Crowe cheer raucously as they pull away, much to Sidney’s chagrin. 

Charlotte feels a buzzing excitement under her skin. She thought she would be nervous for her wedding night, but since knowing Sidney, she feels no fear. Only excitement, anticipation, and...desire.

As they leave Lady Denham’s property, is shocked to notice that the carriage is not headed in the direction of Trafalgar House. 

“Sidney, where are we going?” she asks, peering out the window.

He takes a hand and kisses the back of her palm. “Home, my dear Charlotte,” he answers her. “We’re going home.”

* * *

They have a  _ home _ . A place all their own, where they can build their life together. There is space for Georgiana, more space for children, and a magnificent bedroom upstairs with a view overlooking the sea. Charlotte feels quite overwhelmed, staring out her new bedroom window with her hand pressed against her mouth. The sun has long since set, and in the light of the moon, the sea looks to be made of molasses.

“Am I right to assume that everything is...to your liking?” Sidney asks, a bit hesitant. He lingers in the doorway, his hands behind his back. Charlotte turns to him, extends her arm. Sidney enters the room and takes her hand, letting her pull him to her side. 

“Be careful with your assumptions, Mr. Parker,” she teases, resting her head against his chest. 

“Oh, my apologies,” Sidney says, amused. “So, you don’t like it, then? Shall I call my solicitor, have him invest in some different real estate?”

“ _ No _ ,” Charlotte props her chin up on his chest to fix him with one of her playful glares. “Don’t you dare. This is perfect, Sidney.”

“Good.” He smiles. Charlotte wishes she had an artist’s hand, for she so longs to draw him, to sketch his face, to perfectly capture the delicate creases that line his eyes when he smiles at her. 

She turns around, and they stare out the window together in silence, watching the waves churn and letting nighttime settle around them. After a few moments, however, something in the air changes. It grows thicker, heavier, and Charlotte inexplicably feels her pulse quicken.

“Would you like me to leave you to dress for bed?” Sidney murmurs, kissing her temple. Ah yes, this is what she has been waiting for. His hands squeeze her shoulders and trail down her arms until he can link their hands together. Charlotte brings their joined hands to her chest so that he is hugging her from behind.

“It is our wedding night,” Charlotte says, kissing the back of each of his hands. “Do you not want to undress me?”

Sidney spins her around and cups her face in his hands. “You know I do,” he says, his voice a low rumble in his chest. “But it does not have to be tonight, Charlotte. I will not be upset if you want to wait.”

Her heart warms at his tenderness. “I do not want to wait,” she says, her voice soft. “I have waited long enough.”

He grins. “As you wish.”

Sidney pulls them away from the window, drawing the drapes and guiding her over to stand in front of the bed. The room is lit only by a few candles and the dull amber glow of the fire in the hearth. Charlotte’s breath catches in her throat when he kneels before her, his gentle hand wrapping around her ankle and slowly lifting her foot off the ground. He rids her of her shoes first, then slowly rolls down her stockings. His fingers ghost over the bare skin of her legs and she wills her body not to tremble at his touch. 

Desperate to do something, Charlotte reaches for him where he kneels before her. Her slightly shaking fingers untie his cravat and discard it on top of her stockings, and then she pushes his suit jacket over his shoulders until it too falls to the floor in a heap. 

“Turn around,” he tells her, rising to his feet. She does as she asks, curling her hands around the wrought iron of the bed frame as he brushes her curls over her shoulder and slowly unties her stays. Once they are sufficiently loosened, he pulls them and her dress off in one swift tug, leaving her in just her thin white shift. Sidney kisses the nape of her neck, and each singular vertebrae as he moves down the length of her spine. He makes it to about her shoulder blades before Charlotte cannot take it, turns around and crushes her lips to his. 

“Charlotte,” Sidney growls against her mouth. She molds herself against him, feels his hardness against her thigh, feels the pounding of his heart in his chest. He breaks their kiss and gently pushes her back onto the bed. She watches as he quickly divests himself of his waistcoat and shoes, leaving him in just his breeches and loose shirtsleeves. He crawls over her until she is forced to lay back against the bed, and then he captures her lips again. 

He kisses her hungrily, filthily. She opens her mouth to him, letting his tongue caress hers, the feeling of which sparks a new kind of pleasure. Charlotte had known there to be a darker, more carnal side to intimacy, and had trusted that marriage would lead to an exploration of these types of pursuits. She knows that there are all sorts of crude words and actions that accompany the marriage bed, and she is all too eager for Sidney to teach her. 

“Will you let me try something?” he asks, kissing her lips, her nose, her forehead. Charlotte nods, and he sits back on his heels. He guides her up the bed until her head is against the pillows, then settles between her thighs. She watches him with rapt attention. He uses his fingertips to glide the soft fabric of her shift up her legs, leaning down to follow the trail of his fingers with his lips.

“Relax for me,” Sidney murmurs, kissing the bend of her knee. Charlotte takes a deep breath and complies, willing the tension to leave her body. Sidney continues to decorate her thighs with soft, languid kisses while his hands move ahead, quickly smoothing her shift up over her thighs, her waist, until the fabric is bunched up around her ribs, and she immediately knows what he plans to do. 

Her face burns with embarrassment. She has never been so exposed in her life, so vulnerable. Sidney’s face is mere inches from her most private place, with no barriers between them. She itches to cover herself, but resists the urge. Sidney is her husband, her partner, the love of her life. She trusts him, and if he is intent on bringing her pleasure this way, then she will be open to it. 

“Tell me if you want me to stop,” Sidney says, glancing up at her.

Charlotte nods, looking down only briefly enough to make eye contact with him before averting her gaze again, staring up at the ceiling. It is one thing to allow him access to her body like this, it is another to  _ watch _ .

She braces herself for the feeling of his tongue, but it does not come. Instead, she feels his fingers again. One digit lightly traces her slit, pressing down slightly over her bud. She gasps, overly sensitive, still unused to such an intimate touch despite how much she craves it. He uses both of his thumbs to spread her open, and she finally feels his lips kiss the top of her mound. He noses at her soft curls before moving lower, toward her opening.

“Oh,  _ Sidney _ ,” Charlotte pants as he licks into her. She cannot help but reach down and grasp at his hair, pulling him closer. He groans and licks her deeper. The reverberations make her shudder, and the feeling of his tongue inside of her has her toes curling and her back arching towards the ceiling.

He then shifts his attentions to her bud again. First, he teases it with his tongue, circling it like he would do with his fingers. It is when he closes his soft lips around it and sucks— Charlotte sits up on her elbows with a gasp. Her earlier reservations disappear. She  _ has _ to see what he is doing, has to know what kind of magic he is working on her that makes her feel so delightful. 

Sidney glances up at her, and it is such a marvellously filthy sight. His eyes are nearly black with desire, his hands grasping at her buttocks while his mouth worships her. He growls into her when she meets his gaze, redoubling his efforts. 

He uses his fingers now, slipping on digit inside of her, and then another. He curls them slightly, pressing against a spot that makes her gasp. It feels unbelievable, and Charlotte’s legs, now propped up on his shoulders, start to shake as she starts to feel herself hurtling closer to her peak. She cannot look away from him as he plays her body like an instrument, winding her up and sending her to the stars with merely his touch. 

“Sidney, I’m going to...to…” She does not have the words for what he has done to her. Perhaps that will be another thing he can teach her. Charlotte blindly grabs for a pillow and presses it to her face to try and stifle her cries as her release washes over her. Sidney holds her in place as she writhes, letting her ride out her climax against his mouth. It is the same feeling she had experienced that day with him in Willingden, only amplified tenfold. 

“That was...you are... _ incredible _ ,” Charlotte gasps as she sinks, boneless, into the mattress. “I fear that you have ruined me, for this might be all I ever want to do again.”

Sidney finally sits up, his mouth and chin shiny with her arousal. “You’ll find no complaints here,” he says in a low growl, crawling up her body until his face hovers over hers. “I dare say I might have enjoyed that more than you.” 

She arches up to kiss him, and is shocked to taste herself on his lips. She pulls back in shock, looks up at him wide-eyed as she tentatively licks her lips. It tastes…  _ she _ tastes earthy with an underlying sweetness. 

“That is how my…” she starts, curiously licking her lips again. “That’s how it tastes? And you like it?”

“My dear Charlotte,” Sidney says, his voice a deep rumble in his chest. “Your sweet cunt tastes divine.”

_ Cunt _ . It’s a hard word, a rough word, but she likes how it makes her feel when he says it. When Charlotte leans up again, asking for his lips again, Sidney licks into her mouth with fervor. As they kiss, she can feel his hardened length pressing through his trousers, pressing against her stomach. She unfastens the fall of his breeches and pulls his shirttails out, her hands exploring the tight muscles of his abdomen. Her fingers dip beneath the vee of his waist, teasing the coarse hair that trails down from his navel. 

Sidney pulls back only to remove his shirt and kick off his trousers and then he his back on her. She lets her legs rest around his hips, her hands exploring the muscled planes of his back as he grinds his erection against her heated center. She looks down and watches his member move over her cunt, gliding easily through her wetness. The friction feels marvelous on her sensitive bud, and she wonders if she could quite possibly climax again just from this.

But no. She has waited long enough for this, wondered long enough about how he will feel inside her. She cannot go another second without finding out.

“Sidney,” she gasps when he starts to kiss down her neck. “Sidney, I’m ready.”

“You’re ready?”

“Yes.” Before she can lose her nerve, she reaches down and takes him into her hand. “I want to feel you.”

“Christ, Charlotte.” Sidney hangs his head. His hot breath tickles her neck, and when she starts to stroke him, his length throbs and he bites down on her shoulder. “Alright. Alright, my love. Here, sit up for me.”

Reluctantly he pulls back, kneeling on the bed. He tugs Charlotte to a sitting position and slowly pulls her shift over her head. Once it’s off, she busies herself by fixing her unruly curls, suddenly shy and unable to look Sidney in the eye. She has never been fully naked in front of anyone before, save her mother back when she was a babe.

“Charlotte. Look at me.” Sidney’s voice is impossibly tender. He trails a knuckle up the length of her arm. She looks up at him. “You are...perfection.”

Overwhelmed by the love in his eyes, Charlotte lurches forward and flings her arms around him. He clutches her to his chest. They are skin on skin, and it feels amazing. Her breasts are crushed against his chest and his hands smooth up and down her back, teasing over the small of her back, the curve of her bottom. 

“Please, take me,” she begs, kissing up his neck, desperation coloring her voice. “Please, Sidney, make love to me. I need you.”

“You need me?”

“ _ Yes _ . I need to feel you inside me.”

“You want my cock?”

Charlotte blinks up at him. Another new word. She bites her lip, then tests it out. “Yes...I want your cock.”

It throbs against her center and his hands twitch on her waist. Sidney makes a strangled sound akin to a whine, and Charlotte says it again.

“Please, Sidney, give me your cock.”

“ _ Fuck _ .” Sidney presses her down into the bed, eyes wild. “I’ve got you, my love.” He settles between her legs, resting on his elbows with one on either side of her head. Charlotte cups his face with both hands. His cock rests against her mound, the head touching her curls. Kissing her soundly, Sidney reaches down to grip himself, and then he slowly slides inside her.

Charlotte grits her teeth against the pain of the initial stretch. It is not as bad as she had feared, but he is considerably larger than his fingers. She feels impossibly full, but when she looks down, and sees that he is only halfway inside, she can’t help but whimper.

“Relax,” Sidney murmurs, kissing her forehead. “You’re doing so well, my love.” She takes a deep breath and does as she’s told. He moves further inside her, and lets out a deep groan once he’s bottomed out, his cock all the way inside her.

“How do you feel?”

“Full,” Charlotte says. The discomfort is only slight. She can see the tension in his face, can feel it in his shoulders. He’s holding himself back. He needs this, too. “Move, please.”

Sidney pulls out slowly, then pushes back in. He repeats these movements until Charlotte’s pain fully dissipates, and what replaces it is a raw, unfamiliar pleasure. It starts deep in her cunt, a delicious pressure that seems to set her body on fire. 

“Oh,” she gasps. Sidney has a bead of sweat dripping down his forehead. “Oh, Sidney, this feels…”

“How does it feel,” he begs. “Tell me, Charlotte.”

He starts to move faster and she grips his shoulders. “I did not know it could feel like this. The way you are moving in me… it is like you are casting a spell. I cannot— Oh  _ God—- _ Please tell me this feels as good for you.”

“God, Charlotte, you have no idea,” Sidney chokes out a laugh. “The way you taste, the way you feel. I have never felt like this with anyone. You are exceptional.”

Her breasts feel heavy, aching for his touch. As if he can read her mind, Sidney moves his head down, feathers light kisses over the tops of her breasts before taking one nipple into his mouth. Charlotte squeaks and pulls him closer. This particular action brings about a sharper pleasure, a more acute point, but it feels like it is directly connected to what she is feeling deep inside her. 

“Oh, Sidney, I love you so much,” Charlotte gasps. “I’m so happy.”

“Me as well, my love. You are an angel.”

Suddenly, Sidney grits his teeth and stops. Before Charlotte can ask why, he pulls out, grabs a pillow, and lifts her around the waist so he can place it under her hips. Now slightly elevated, he presses her thighs to her chest and slips inside of her again.

Charlotte cannot help the wild cry that tears from her chest. He is reaching depths inside her she had no idea existed, and she clenches around him, desperate to keep him in place. He balances himself on one arm while his free hand snakes between him and he strokes her bud. 

“You’re doing so well,” Sidney praises her, his lips trailing up her neck. “Do you like it, Charlotte? Do you like it when I fuck you?”

Fuck. He’s fucking her. They’re making love but at the same time he’s fucking her. 

That’s a word that Charlotte already knew, learned it long ago after overhearing some man’s drunken conversation at the inn back in her village. She had come to trade fresh goat’s milk for some brandy for her father, gone early enough where she would have thought it to be free of any untoward customers. She had heard the word for the first time that day, and had buried it away in her mind, certain that that particular activity was reserved for proper scoundrels only. 

But Sidney is no scoundrel, despite what he had previously endeavored to make people believe. He is a good man, a kind man, her  _ husband.  _ And if what he is doing now is fucking her, then Charlotte hopes to God that he will never stop.

“Yes,” she breathes, her voice a thin whine. “Yes, I like it when you fuck me.”

The flames of pleasure lick up her spine and threaten to drive her mad. It is all too much— his cock hitting the perfect spot inside her, his fingers drawing pleasure from her bud, his voice whispering declarations of love in her ear. She had no idea one person was capable of feeling so much pleasure. She feels like she might combust.

“Charlotte, I cannot hold on much longer,” Sidney gasps. She can feel his cock throbbing inside her. She suddenly starts to feel her climax rising again— this time from deeper inside her cunt. Her toes curl and her skin feels like it’s on fire. Her gasping breaths turn into wanton moans and she scrambles to hang onto him, her legs wrapped around his waist and her arms around his shoulders. He clings to her just as fiercely, as the waves of pleasure from her own release trigger his own. She can feel him release his seed inside of her, and a deep sense of relief washes over her.

Now she is truly his wife. In name and in practice. Charlotte laughs giddily, a little dopey from her release. Sidney gasps and tries to catch his own breath. She eventually lets go of him, her arms flopping beside her on the bed. Sidney props himself up on his elbows, and when he looks up at her, his gaze is full of awe. He stares at her as if she herself hung the moon and the stars in the sky.

“Whatever have I done to deserve such a magnificent creature, I may never know,” he murmurs. “You are ethereal.”

“That is an exaggeration,” she teases. He gently pulls out of her and she frowns at the loss of him, feeling a sudden emptiness. Sidney leaves the bed for a moment and returns with a damp cloth, using it to clean between her legs. Once he’s done, he leaves it on the nightstand and smooths her damp hair from her forehead. 

“How are you feeling?” 

“Invigorated. When can we do that again?”

Sidney laughs. “My insatiable wife. Give me a few moments and I will happily ravish you until dawn.”

Charlotte rolls over, tucks herself under the sheets. Now that her body is cooling down, she can feel the November chill in the air. Sidney quickly stokes the fire and then joins her in the bed. She curls up against his chest, reveling in the magnificence of it all. It feels surreal, that he is hers and she is his, that they are free to touch and love each other to their heart’s content. She listens to his heart beat as he runs his fingers through her curls.

“I never thought that my life would ever contain this much happiness,” he confesses. “You are quite simply the best thing that has ever happened to me, Charlotte.”

Charlotte kisses his chest. “And you are mine, Sidney.” 

They lay together, simply enjoying each other’s presence. Sidney holds Charlotte close until her impatience gets the better of her and her hands start to wander. It does not take long for him to roll her over and make good on his promise. Neither of them get any sleep until the sun starts to rise.

* * *

  
  


** _Two and a Half Years Later_ **

The day of the Fourth Annual Sanditon Regatta is bright and exceptionally warm. The town is booming, a success amongst the likes of Brighton, if not more so. This year is the Regatta’s largest turn out to date, the shoreline so packed to watch the rowing competition that Charlotte fears she might not have been able to grab a spot, had she not come down early to oversee the setup.

It is her first year not having an active role in the Regatta. She misses the responsibility, but having an eight-month-old babe to look after is enough of a job within itself. Violet Parker is swaddled up against her mother’s breast so that just her soft brown curls and honey eyes can be seen, peaking out and watching the scene before her with rapt attention and curiosity. 

Charlotte stands alongside Mary, with her nieces and nephews, as they cheer along their respective husbands. There are more boats in the race this year, but The Parker’s still emerge victorious. Sidney barely waits for his boat to dock before he is jumping out, crossing to his family with a bright smile.

“Congratulations, Papa,” Charlotte says when he reaches them, automatically placing Violet into his waiting arms. He coos at their daughter, pressing a kiss to her tiny nose, and then to Charlotte’s lips. 

“It seems I had my good luck charms with me,” he says, slinging an arm around her shoulders. 

“Come now, Esther is giving out the prizes this year,” Charlotte says, turning towards the tents. Sidney laughs and lets her pull him along. 

“What use could I possibly have for a prize?” he says, looking at her with a tender gaze. 

Little Violet wrenches an arm free of her blankets and attempts to grab at his nose. Sidney playfully nibbles at her finger, making her shriek with laughter. The sound warms his heart, and when he looks back down at Charlotte, the expression on her face tells him that she feels the same. 

“Why would I need a prize,” he starts again, “when I have everything I have ever desired right here in my arms?”

“Always a charmer, aren’t you?” Charlotte rises up on the tips of her toes to press a sweet kiss to his lips. “I love you very much, Sidney Parker.”

Sidney leans down, their foreheads pressed together, their noses just brushing each other as he repeats the words back to her. “And I love you endlessly, Charlotte Parker.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> fin.

**Author's Note:**

> updates will be Sunday mornings EST! I hope everyone enjoyed the first chapter. if anyone wants to talk, I'm on tumblr as bilexualclarke :)


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